December 2010 MMA News Archive

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Add Danny Castillo to the list of former WEC fighters who now have a home in UFC following the merger. A source close to UFC said today that Castillo has signed a multi-fight contract with UFC, believed to be a 4-fight deal. Castillo's WEC spot appeared to be in jeopardy earlier this year after 2 losses in a row but he saved his spot and punched his UFC ticket by finishing the year with 2 wins in a row. No date set for his UFC debut.

Brazilian featherweight star Marlon Sandro has not endured an ideal end to his 2010 campaign. On December 30, he was unable to defend his Sengoku featherweight title when he dropped a unanimous decision to challenger Hatsu Hioki. The bout headlined the SRC: "Soul of Fight" event in Tokyo, Japan, last Thursday. It was a disappointing finish in a year where he was 2-0 with two brutal knockouts in a combined 47 seconds leading up to the meeting with Hioki. In an interview Friday morning with Sandro's coach and Nova Uniao head trainer Andre Pederneiras, he revealed there was plenty of reason to worry heading into the bout. "Marlon had a big infection in his right hand," he said. "The doctors said to him not to fight. He couldn't punch or grapple with his right hand for 20 days, but he decided to fight because it was the main event. He knows Sengoku needed him to do a great show."

LAS VEGAS -- Many people have taken a short look at the life and times of Chris Leben and drawn their own conclusions. Brian Stann is no different. Except Stann's judgment was as simple as five words: "I want to fight him."
Stann's impulse had nothing to do with Leben's tattooed, hair-dyed appearance. It had nothing to do with the trouble Leben has sometimes found himself in. It had nothing to do with any moral judgment. Instead, it had everything to do with how he fights. Stann is a Silver Star-winning former U.S. Marine, and yet he marvels at Leben's fighting spirit.

LAS VEGAS – As far as pre-fight storylines go, the UFC 125 matchup between middleweight sluggers Chris Leben (25-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and Brian Stann (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) appears pretty cut and dry.
Take Leben, an oft-troubled and always outspoken slugger, and pair him with Stann, a Silver Star-winning U.S. Marine known as the "All American," and you've got a clear good vs. evil scenario.
But Leben thinks MMA pundits and fans have been too quick to draw the obvious conclusion. After all, life isn't always that simple.

Once thought to be a non-title affair, the late-notice scrap between Todd Duffee and Alistair Overeem (Pictured) at “Dynamite: The Power of Courage 2010” will be for the Dream interim heavyweight crown.

When former Purdue University football star Matt Mitrione did his stint on the UFC's hit reality show "The Ultimate Fighter", it was every bit his intention to keep both viewers and his housemates guessing. Mitrione quickly became the season's outcast as he drifted in and out of social interaction, often times leaving fellow cast members stumped by his quirky sense of humor and questionable motives.
Now with three fights and three victories under his belt in the most successful organization in mixed martial arts, Mitrione has pushed the head games aside and has put the fight business front and center.
Good length article from Bloody Elbow

Count Junior dos Santos amongst those who are pissed off about UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez shoulder injury and subsequent surgery that will keep him on the shelf for a reported six to eight months.
The Brazilian bomber is also questioning the nature of the injury itself -- after all, didn't Velasquez thoroughly dominate Brock Lesnar and finish the fight in the very first round while barely breaking a sweat?
Article includes quote from Junior dos Santos

Antonio McKee has a plan. It's simple, really.
"By the end of the year I should have the UFC [lightweight] belt," he told MMA Fighting. "I've got to get through [Jacob] Volkmann here, beat up Volkmann real quick, and after I get done with Volkmann they'll think I'm serious and we can start moving forward and making progress."
See? Nothing to it. After 11 years as a pro fighter, the 40-year-old McKee is set to make his Octagon debut at UFC 125 this Saturday, so of course he already has his future mapped out.
But does he really think becoming a UFC champion is going to be that easy? Seriously?

It appears David Mitchell will to wait a little while longer for the chance to get his first UFC win. He was scheduled to face Mike Swick at the upcoming UFC Fights For The Troops event but is now off due to a shoulder injury. Swick is also off as well, he's since confirmed there will be no replacement and thus he will not be on the card either. No word on when either fighter will return.

LAS VEGAS – Even Brandon Vera (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) is tired of hearing about "the old Brandon Vera."
The UFC light heavyweight, who faces Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva (14-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at this weekend's "UFC 125: Resolution" event, was once considered the future of the heavyweight division. Now, he may be battling for his spot on the UFC's roster.
And while the 33-year-old said he's finally got his mind in the right place, he's promising the arrival of a better Brandon Vera instead of a simple return to previous form.

A lightweight bout between UFC veteran Spencer Fisher (24-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and "The Ultimate Fighter 9" lightweight winner Ross Pearson (11-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) now is official for UFC 127.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the bout this past month, and UFC officials since have made it official.
UFC 127 takes place Feb. 27 at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, and the night's main card airs on pay-per-view (on Feb. 26 in the U.S. due to time difference).
Fisher vs. Pearson, though, is slated for the untelevised preliminary card.

A welterweight bout between veteran Duane "Bang" Ludwig (20-11 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and "The Ultimate Fighter 7" winner Amir Sadollah (4-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has been slotted for March's UFC Fight Night 24 event.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned of the matchup from sources close to the event, who said verbal agreements are in place.
While not yet officially announced by the promotion, UFC Fight Night 24 is expected to take place March 26 in Seattle and features a Spike TV headliner between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Tito Ortiz.
It's not known if Ludwig vs. Sadollah will be part of the televised main card.
Ludwig recently saved his UFC career with a split-decision win over Nick Osipczak at UFC 122. Prior to the fight, which marked the former lightweight's return to 170 pounds, Ludwig dropped three of four fights, which included UFC losses to Jim Miller (submission) and Darren Elkins (TKO due to an ankle injury).

“Ultimate Fighter 12” alum Alex Caceres and former WEC talent Mackens Semerzier have reportedly agreed to square off in a featherweight contest on March 26 at UFC Fight Night 24 in Seattle.
MMA Junkie initially reported news of the contest on Thursday morning. Neither the bout nor the event has been officially announced by the promotion, and a venue for the show has yet to be determined.
Caceres, perhaps better known to fans of the reality series as “Bruce Leroy,” was eliminated by eventual “TUF” finalist Michael Johnson in the show's quarterfinal round. Only 22, Caceres snapped a two-fight losing streak by defeating Jahmal McLennan in February before signing on to participate in “TUF.” Typically fighting at lightweight, Caceres was scheduled to make his official UFC debut against Season 12 semi-finalist Nam Phan at the show's finale, but he was forced to withdraw due to injury. Caceres will make his featherweight debut at Fight Night 24.

Middleweights Aaron Simpson and Mario Miranda have reportedly agreed to square off at UFC Fight Night 24.
The event, which has not yet been officially announced by the promotion, is expected to be held at a to-be-named venue in Seattle on March 26. MMA Weekly initially reported the matchup Wednesday.
Simpson is fresh off a defeat to friend and fellow NCAA wrestling standout Mark Munoz at UFC 123 in November. Though the fight was a back-and-forth affair, Munoz generally got the better of the exchanges and earned a unanimous decision over the Power MMA and Fitness product. This marked the second loss of Simpson's career, as just five months earlier he was knocked out by the durable Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter 11” finale. After looking strong in the early going, Simpson tired dramatically as the fight wore on, and the savvy Leben poured it on late in the second to earn the TKO victory.

Tim Sylvia officially has replaced fellow UFC vet Todd Duffee and now meets "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast member Abe Wagner in the headliner of next month's Titan Fighting Championships 16 event. TFC 16 takes place Jan. 28 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. It's the first Titan event slated for an HDNet broadcast. Duffee surrendered the spot after he stepped in as a late addition to Friday's DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010" event, where he meets Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in a non-title bout. Since his embarrassing 9 second KO loss to Ray Mercer in 2009, Sylvia has won 4 straight.

Jim Miller is ready to return to action and he will get the chance to fight in his home state of New Jersey when he does. He is set to face former WEC lightweight Kamal Shalorus at UFC 128 on March 19.
The fight was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the match-up on Wednesday, with verbal agreements in place.

The UFC has added two familiar ring girls to the lineup for Saturday's UFC 125 event.
Former WEC ring girl Brittney Palmer will circle the UFC octagon in her first duties since the merger with its sister promotion.
Additionally, Playboy model and "The Girls Next Door" star Holly Madison returns to the organization for the first time since guest-ring-girl duties at UFC 100 in July 2009.

NEW YORK (Dec. 29, 2010) – One day after re-signing its world welterweight champion, Nick Diaz, to a new multi-fight deal, STRIKEFORCE announced Wednesday that exciting, hard-hitting former two-time world middleweight champion "Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler had also signed a new, multi-year agreement with the San Jose, Calif.-based world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion.
One of the most lethal punchers in his weight class, Lawler (18-6, 1 NC) will challenge STRIKEFORCE middleweight belt-holder "Jacare" Souza (13-2, 1 NC) in one half of a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 29, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) will defend his title against Brazilian powerhouse Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in the other.

LAS VEGAS – WEC standout turned UFC fighter Josh Grispi (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) may not get a chance to realize a title opportunity that slipped through his fingers with the injury of featherweight champ Jose Aldo (18-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
UFC president Dana White said today that Grispi is not guaranteed a fight with Aldo if he's victorious Saturday at UFC 125 against fellow octagon newcomer Dustin Poirier.
"He's in the mix, though," White said.